Foundation Support

Foundation support plays a crucial role in furthering The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis' dedication to excellence in producing an eclectic range of live theatre.

As an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, The Rep depends on the support of national and local foundations to help us bridge the gap between ticket sales and the cost of delivering our wide array of programs.

Foundation support is crucial to our ability to enrich our community and to bring people together. The community seeks out theatre as a place to gather and share an emotional experience, and to see work that reflects society, explores new ideas and strives to connect diverse cultures and points of view. Theatre acts as a catalyst for community discussion; as the largest theatre in the St. Louis metro area, The Rep draws a vast and diverse audience from throughout the region to join the conversation.

From classics to world premieres to some of the theatrical canon’s most thought-provoking plays, the work on our stages touches audience members through stories that take place in their own backyards and around the world. Funding from institutions helps us make theatre available to the widest possible audience through discounted ticket prices and wide-reaching education programs.

The Rep is at the heart of creating new works for our own stages and for theatres around the country. Rep world premiere productions like High, Evie’s Waltz, The Invisible Hand and Soups, Stews and Casseroles: 1976 have gone on to productions throughout the world, including Los Angeles, London, Washington D.C. and New York. Foundation support allows us to continue to commission and develop new works that keep the field of theatre vital.

We are committed to lifelong education and introducing youth to the myth and magic of live theatre. We firmly believe in the transformative role that theatre can play in young lives. With the help of foundation funding, our Imaginary Theatre Company tour, student matinee performances and other arts-in-education activities reach approximately 35,000 youth each year, many of whom would otherwise not have access to theatre programming.

Foundations fund some of our most unique outreach programs that create a deep impact on youth and the community as a whole, such as WiseWrite, a playwriting program for fifth-grade students and our “Connecting Community through the Arts” two-year project in Kirkwood’s schools and community.

We deeply appreciate the support that we receive from local, regional and national foundations.